UNION OF LOCAL AND NON LOCAL GENERAL SERVICE STAFF OF FAO AND WFP
SYNDICAT DU PERSONNEL LOCAL ET NON LOCAL DES SERVICES GENERAUX DE LA FAO ET DU PAM
SINDICATO DEL PERSONAL LOCAL Y NO LOCAL DE LOS SERVICIOS GENERALES DE LA FAO Y DEL PMA
SINDACATO DEL PERSONALE LOCALE E NON LOCALE DEI SERVIZI GENERALI DELLA FAO E DEL PAM
VIALE DELLE TERME Dl CARACALLA - 00153 ROMA (ITALIA)
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e-mail: [email protected]
RESOLUTION ON STAFF-MANAGEMENT RELATIONS
The Extraordinary Assembly of the Union of General Service Staff (UGSS), held on 16 March 2015,
Recalling the Recognition Agreement between the Director-General of FAO and the UGSS, in which
the Organization:
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Confirms their right to consult, be consulted and to negotiate with it on all aspects of the terms
and conditions of employment; and
Recognizes that their elected officers are protected against intimidation and discriminatory or
prejudicial treatment based on their status or activity as staff representatives;
Also recalling the Standards of Conduct for the International Civil Service, which equally recognize the
cardinal role of elected staff representatives in the consideration of conditions of employment and work,
as well as in matters of staff welfare, and their right to be protected against discriminatory or prejudicial
treatment based on their status or activities as staff representatives, both during their term of office and
after it has ended;
Noting with deep concern:
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The lack of willingness of Senior Management of FAO to conduct consultation in good faith –
not to speak of negotiations – with the Staff Representative Bodies on conditions of employment
and work and on matters of staff welfare with a view to seeking mutually satisfactory solutions;
The repeated unilateral introduction of piecemeal measures and changes to policies affecting the
conditions of employment and work and the welfare of staff with only pro-forma regard to the
views, comments and suggestions of the Staff Representative Bodies;
The absence of any coherent human resources policy aimed at encouraging, acknowledging and
rewarding good performance of staff;
The written reprimands issued to elected officers of the UGSS related to activities carried out in
the conduct of their functions as elected staff representatives;
The issues raised by our colleagues in AP-in-FAO concerning the lack of transparency and
equity in the recently introduced mobility policy.
Calls on FAO’s Senior Management to:
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Confirm their readiness to engage in constructive – and not just pro-forma – consultations and
negotiations with the Staff Representative Bodies on all issues relating to their conditions of
work and employment and matters of staff welfare, in good faith with a view to seeking mutually
satisfactory solutions;
Commence consultations with the Staff Representative Bodies on a coherent and transparent
human resources policy that encourages and recognizes the contribution of staff and provides
opportunities for career advancement for staff members, including on issues such as:
o Respect the current redeployment procedures, in place in connection with the new
Programme of Work and Budget;
o Policies for career advancement through job growth, or other transparent procedures, for
staff;
o An effective, fair and transparent performance appraisal and management system;
o A transparent policy on mobility that seeks to match the technical and operational needs
of the Organization with the career aspirations and needs of staff;
o Comprehensive and transparent policies to address the issues related to the improper use
of short-term appointments for staff of both categories to discharge functions of an ongoing nature;
Further calls on Senior Management of FAO, in sign of good faith, to immediately:
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Withdraw Admin Circular 15/07 and establish a Joint Staff Management Task force to discuss
the social and legal implications therein particularly for the staff immediately or already
affected;
Withdraw the reprimands issued to elected officers of the UGSS related to activities carried out
in the conduct of their functions as elected staff representatives and call on Management to sit
down with SRBs to respect the Recognition Agreement with regard to demonstrations;
Suspend the decision to open GS vacancies to external candidates to populate the new and never
discussed roster;
Commit to postpone the introduction of the proposed new Performance Evaluation and
Management System until further meaningful consultations are held with the Staff
Representative Bodies;
Directs the Executive Committee of the Union of General Service Staff, in the absence of a positive
response from Senior Management of FAO, by cob Wednesday 18th of March, to:
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Reconvene the Extraordinary Assembly in order to decide possible actions of protest, beginning
the week of 23-27 March 2015;
Withdraw from further participation in meetings of the Staff Management Consultative
Committee and from the Working Group on GS recruitment process until such a time as Senior
Management has given unequivocal indications of its intention to engage in constructive
consultations with the Staff Representative Bodies.
Instructs the Executive Committee of UGSS and the Chair of this Assembly to transmit this resolution
to:
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The Director -General of FAO
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The Executive Director of WFP
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The Chairs of the FAO Council, the Finance and the Programme Committee
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The Chair of the Executive Board of WFP
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The President and the General Secretary of AP-in-FAO, with a call for maximum cooperation and joint
action as appropriate
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The SRBs of other Italy-based UN agencies
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FICSA, with a call for cross-organizational awareness and solidarity, in cooperation with other sister
unions and federations
Carlo Vellucci, Control Board
Chair